Divine Encounters - Zecharia Sitchin-pages

Page 355 of 384

Page 355 of 384
Divine Encounters - Zecharia Sitchin-pages

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Endpaper 351 confusion in fact shows up. The roles are switched, and all of a sudden Yahweh plays the role not of Enki but of his rival Enlil. In the Mesopotamian original texts, it is Enlil who is unhappy with the way Mankind has turned out, who seeks its destruction by the approaching calamity, and who makes the other Anunnaki leaders swear to keep all that a secret from Mankind. In the biblical version (chapter 6 of Genesis), it is Yahweh who voices his unhappiness with Mankind and makes the decision to wipe Mankind off the face of the Earth. In the tale's conclusion, as Ziusudra/Utnapishtim offers sacri- fices on Mount Ararat, it is Enlil who is attracted by the pleasant smell of roasting meat and (with some persuasion) accepts the survival of Mankind, forgives Enki, and blesses Ziusudra and his wife. In Genesis, it is to Yahweh that Noah builds an altar and sacrifices animals on it, and it was Yah- weh "who smelled the pleasant aroma." So was Yahweh Enlil, after all? A strong case can be made for such an identification. If there had been a "first among equals" as far as the two half brothers, sons of Anu, were concerned, the first was Enlil. Though it was Enki who was first to come to Earth, it was EN.LIL ("Lord of the Command") who took over as chief of the Anunnaki on Earth. It was a situation that corresponds to the statement in Psalms 97:9: "For thou, O Yahweh, art supreme over the whole Earth; most supreme art Thou over all the Elohim." The elevation of Enlil to this status is de- scribed in the Atra-Hasis Epic in the introductory verses, prior to the mutiny of the gold-mining Anunnaki: Anu, their father, was the ruler; Their commander was the hero Enlil. Their warrior was Ninurta; Their provider was Marduk. They all clasped hands together, cast lots and divided: Anu ascended to heaven; The Earth to Enlil was made subject. The bounded realm of the sea to princely Enki they had given.